The Labor government has announced a review of the water sector and its regulations. Although he claims that this is “the biggest review of the sector since privatization”, this review will not even address privatization. Something smells suspicious – and it’s not just raw sewage flowing into the sea.

The water industry stinks to high heaven

According to the government’s website, the commission will be the next step in its long-term approach by:

ensuring we have a sufficiently strong and stable regulatory framework to attract the investment needed to clean up our waterways, accelerate the delivery of infrastructure and restore public confidence in the sector.

However, as many people on X have pointed out, the government could solve all of these problems by returning the water to public ownership:

It’s really not that complicated: bringing water to public property now. pic.twitter.com/EJF2SGHD2N

– Jérémy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) October 23, 2024

Please just renationalize it.

Democratic control through government is absolutely necessary to undo the damage caused by private extractors. https://t.co/NBcstIUDlV

– Councilor Luke Farley (@FarleyLabour) October 23, 2024

Water privatization does not work

Since the government privatized the water sector in 1989, conditions have collapsed while prices have soared. Yet Labor still refuses to tackle the real problem, which is privatization itself:

How can the “independent” Water Commission be “independent” if it excludes a review of ownership?

The evidence is clear: privatization has failed.

Water bills have risen by 40% and debt stands at £60bn, while shareholders receive £78bn.

Any review MUST take ownership into account.

– Beth Winter (@BethWinterCynon) October 23, 2024

Susanna Reid: ‘Clearly privatization isn’t working’

Jonathan Ashworth: Nationalizing the water industry wouldn’t necessarily solve the problem, but if the government’s expert review recommends it, that’s what the government should do.

Except that the examination does not concern the property pic.twitter.com/a7goXKAFLT

– Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) October 23, 2024

Unthinkable that this review does not even consider putting water back in the hands of the public

Privatization is and always will be the problem

In the meantime @EauSud is looking to increase my constituents’ bills by 84% to make up for its lack of investment. Scandalous. https://t.co/e5Z0o0AjUy

– Sian Berry (@sianberry) October 23, 2024

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) could take a similar position to Wales. Water companies are run as nonprofits, but they are still allowed to award outrageous bonuses.

This would be a weaker form of nationalization. Nonprofit is great, but it still allows for massive bonuses and salaries.

It’s clear that big salaries and bonuses don’t work because the rivers are full of 💩 and the bills are skyrocketing.

Just nationalize the water. NOW. pic.twitter.com/gVEGc0hVtj

-Harry Eccles (@Heccles94) October 23, 2024

Apparently @DefraGovUK is considering forcing the sale of England’s water companies to companies that would run them as not-for-profit organisations, such as Welsh Water.

Such structures are common elsewhere in Europe, with the public good being the top priority.

Would you be in favor of such an idea? pic.twitter.com/ebA921OyPL

-Dave Sumner Smith (@davesumnersmith) October 23, 2024

A new commission could ban English water companies from making a profit.

Public relations shoot.

This is not what the Water (Special Measures) Bill contains.

Ministers say nationalization would cost “tens of billions of pounds”. But I was unable to provide any data to Parliament.https://t.co/VvfzS8B6Wx

–Prem Sikka (@premnsikka) October 23, 2024

Private companies in their pockets

In the meantime, Hello Great Britain (Yes, GM!) were questioning Environment Secretary Steve Reed about something that stinks. It was Reed himself – or more precisely – him accepting gifts from the parent company of a water company. Why he wouldn’t be interested in this same company’s management of the UK’s sanitation and water infrastructure is a mystery even Scooby Doo couldn’t solve:

Steve Reed denies that accepting a particular bribe influenced his management of the water sector because the bribe came from a telecommunications company. #GMB pic.twitter.com/D9S8gRv5PU

– Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) October 23, 2024

This should be what people want, not what private companies who have a revolving door to Parliament want, but that’s not how things are happening under the leadership of sewage dealer Starmer:

😡Environment Secretary Steve Reed casually rejects the renationalisation of water companies.

However, 82% of the population wants water to be public property.

If you think the government is wrong for ignoring public opinion, tell them.https://t.co/iVWhzAbLgB pic.twitter.com/jRK42AgyKs

– We Own It (@We_OwnIt) October 23, 2024

There is talk of the complete abolition of the Water Services Regulatory Authority (Ofwat). However, the commission’s announcement fails to capture the point. Private water companies are to blame. Like any government that continues to allow them to plunder the country while poisoning our water systems:

It is clear @ofwat failed as a regulator, as did privatization. Massive profits paid to shareholders, companies in debt, water shortages in some areas and sewage dumped into our rivers and beaches.

The review should conclude that privatization has been a disaster – because it is…

–Adrian Ramsay (@AdrianRamsay) October 23, 2024

David Henderson, director of the privatized professional association of the water industry: “we all bear some responsibility”

uh no, your members, the private water companies, are to blame. They have been ripping us off for years and the industry should be nationalized so they can’t continue to do it. pic.twitter.com/yh28bWFuPK

– Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) October 23, 2024

As usual, Keir Starmer’s government is avoiding the real problem. This should eliminate any lingering notion that the Labor government is there for anything other than its own interests.

Featured image via Canaries